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Riverworld #1-2
Riverworld: To Your Scattered Bodies Go/The Fabulous Riverboat
From award-winning author Philip Jose Farmer comes his most famous science fiction the first combined edition of the first two Riverworld novels, To Your Scattered Bodies Go and The Fabulous Riverboat.
The basis of the 2010 television miniseries from Syfy.
Imagine that every human who ever lived, from the earliest Neanderthals to the present, is resurrected after death on the banks of an astonishing and seemingly endless river on an unknown world. They are miraculously provided with food, but with not a clue to the possible meaning of this strange afterlife. And so billions of people from history, and before, must start living again.
Some set sail on the great river questing for the meaning of their resurrection, and to find and confront their mysterious benefactors. On this long journey, we meet Sir Richard Francis Burton, Mark Twain, Odysseus, Cyrano de Bergerac, and many others, most of whom embark upon searches of their own in this huge afterlife.
"Charts a territory somewhere between Gulliver's Travels and The Lord of the Rings ." --Time
The basis of the 2010 television miniseries from Syfy.
Imagine that every human who ever lived, from the earliest Neanderthals to the present, is resurrected after death on the banks of an astonishing and seemingly endless river on an unknown world. They are miraculously provided with food, but with not a clue to the possible meaning of this strange afterlife. And so billions of people from history, and before, must start living again.
Some set sail on the great river questing for the meaning of their resurrection, and to find and confront their mysterious benefactors. On this long journey, we meet Sir Richard Francis Burton, Mark Twain, Odysseus, Cyrano de Bergerac, and many others, most of whom embark upon searches of their own in this huge afterlife.
"Charts a territory somewhere between Gulliver's Travels and The Lord of the Rings ." --Time
448 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2008
389 people are currently reading
814 people want to read
About the author
Philip José Farmer
620 books882 followersPhilip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but spent much of his life in Peoria, Illinois.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
February 15, 2013
(This review covers the series)
To the uninitiated, Riverworld is a five-book series written between 1971 to 1983. In order, the books are:
To Your Scattered Bodies Go
The Fabulous Riverboat
The Dark Design
The Magic Labyrinth
(The) Gods of Riverworld.
(I did not read the fifth book, and you will see why in this review)
To sum up quickly and without revealing too much: The Riverworld is a mysterious alien planet on which nearly all human beings have been resurrected (minus very young children). How and why this has happened is a mystery not expained until the climax of the fourth book. The alien planet is a vast river valley, hence Riverworld. I won't go into too many of the attributes of Riverworld, except to say that each human being is supplied with a "grail"-- a device that, when coupled with various artifacts on the surface of the planet, magically produces food, liquid, and various consumable luxuries.
The conceit of the story, and one which is well done, is that since EVERYONE who has ever lived is alive again, famous people from history can and are our main characters. Richard Burton (the explorer), Sam Clemens, Hermann Goring, and many others populate the narrative, as does a character clearly modeled after Philip Jose Farmer: Peter Jarius Frigate. This device works rather well, I think: it's clever and there is certainly an element of enjoyment to be had by reading about Mark Twain fighting against King John, for example.
The forays into philosophy become more and more frequent and lengthy as the series goes on, but the main themes of the series are redemption and religion, with quite a bit of old-time "can do!" adventure thrown in. There are many rollicking fight scenes, though sometimes individual novels would seem to be built around such fight scenes. Nevertheless, the series is captivating and elusive enough to warrant a go.
The entire series is also built around exploring the central, twin mystery of HOW and WHY the Riverworldians (called Ethicals in the story) built this place: what could possibly be the purpose of raising EVERY SINGLE human being from the dead? In a series as long and deep as this one, I don't think it would have been possible to answer that mystery satisfyingly enough. Sadly, Farmer is not able to deliver a solution to the mystery that is wholly satisfactory, though it is thoughtful and rather interesting.
In reading multiple reviews of the final book, The Gods of Riverworld, I got the very strong impression reading it would ruin my experience with the first four. I have (so far) decided to avoid the fifth book.
So, overall, I very much enjoyed the series. The central idea was and is quite intruiging, and Farmer explores it very well. If you're not a fan of rather long digressions into philosophy, this may not appeal to you. Otherwise, I recommend this series.
To the uninitiated, Riverworld is a five-book series written between 1971 to 1983. In order, the books are:
To Your Scattered Bodies Go
The Fabulous Riverboat
The Dark Design
The Magic Labyrinth
(The) Gods of Riverworld.
(I did not read the fifth book, and you will see why in this review)
To sum up quickly and without revealing too much: The Riverworld is a mysterious alien planet on which nearly all human beings have been resurrected (minus very young children). How and why this has happened is a mystery not expained until the climax of the fourth book. The alien planet is a vast river valley, hence Riverworld. I won't go into too many of the attributes of Riverworld, except to say that each human being is supplied with a "grail"-- a device that, when coupled with various artifacts on the surface of the planet, magically produces food, liquid, and various consumable luxuries.
The conceit of the story, and one which is well done, is that since EVERYONE who has ever lived is alive again, famous people from history can and are our main characters. Richard Burton (the explorer), Sam Clemens, Hermann Goring, and many others populate the narrative, as does a character clearly modeled after Philip Jose Farmer: Peter Jarius Frigate. This device works rather well, I think: it's clever and there is certainly an element of enjoyment to be had by reading about Mark Twain fighting against King John, for example.
The forays into philosophy become more and more frequent and lengthy as the series goes on, but the main themes of the series are redemption and religion, with quite a bit of old-time "can do!" adventure thrown in. There are many rollicking fight scenes, though sometimes individual novels would seem to be built around such fight scenes. Nevertheless, the series is captivating and elusive enough to warrant a go.
The entire series is also built around exploring the central, twin mystery of HOW and WHY the Riverworldians (called Ethicals in the story) built this place: what could possibly be the purpose of raising EVERY SINGLE human being from the dead? In a series as long and deep as this one, I don't think it would have been possible to answer that mystery satisfyingly enough. Sadly, Farmer is not able to deliver a solution to the mystery that is wholly satisfactory, though it is thoughtful and rather interesting.
In reading multiple reviews of the final book, The Gods of Riverworld, I got the very strong impression reading it would ruin my experience with the first four. I have (so far) decided to avoid the fifth book.
So, overall, I very much enjoyed the series. The central idea was and is quite intruiging, and Farmer explores it very well. If you're not a fan of rather long digressions into philosophy, this may not appeal to you. Otherwise, I recommend this series.
January 21, 2011
The premise is so good. The execution is so bad. Maybe the later books make up for it? I'm sure in a year or so, I'll look back on the book and think, "Ah, I was too harsh. I should give the next one a shot." Then I'll read the next book and remember why I hated the first one.
My main gripe with the book? The prose. The style. The frakin' passive voice! Also, the excruciating over attention to measurement. The lighter was three quarters of an in in width and two inches in height? Really? Gee, glad I know what a lighter looks like now.
Also I keep getting the Mary Sue vibe from Burton. Dunno, maybe that's just me.
Granted, there were some good sentences here or there. Especially the opening and the last bit at the end. But god, the info dumps and rambling exposition and pondering were just too much.
My main gripe with the book? The prose. The style. The frakin' passive voice! Also, the excruciating over attention to measurement. The lighter was three quarters of an in in width and two inches in height? Really? Gee, glad I know what a lighter looks like now.
Also I keep getting the Mary Sue vibe from Burton. Dunno, maybe that's just me.
Granted, there were some good sentences here or there. Especially the opening and the last bit at the end. But god, the info dumps and rambling exposition and pondering were just too much.
June 16, 2012
As I make my way through all the Hugo Award winners, I am discovering (unfortunately) that several books are parts of a series...I may read a winner and the story is not resolved or even worse it is in the middle or end of a series. "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" was the Hugo winner here and it ends abruptly with no resolution to any questions or mysteries (which at first I wanted to know the answers to!) Then I read "The Fabulous Riverboat" which is set on the same Riverworld but did little to answer anything in the first part. And THAT story just "ended" as well with no resolution. Despite Farmer creating an extremely mysterious and creative world, at this point I really have no desire to continue the series. The more I read about the beings who inhabit Riverworld, the less I care to understand exactly why they are there.
July 1, 2025
Both very enjoyable books to start off the five series of Riverworld books by Farmer. I probably enjoyed the first more so than the second with the focus on Sir Richard Francis Burton and his coming to grips being reincarnated along with a whole lot of other regular and historic people throughout the history of the world ( and off it ) onto this other world as hairless bald and naked “experiments” to start over again and even dying again gets one reincarnated. I saw this whole thing as a kind of Risk the board game situation with historic people. But Burton makes friends, enemies, war, and peace on and off the great river.
The second book focuses mainly on Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain as he looks to build a riverboat to explore the great river coming across many different figures and dealing with his own wars, drama, back stabbing, and chess-like matches all while this ship is being built. The interraction between him and his very tall and large giant friend with the large and long nose named Joe had me actually laughing out loud and worth the price of reading. I’m aiming to finish the next three books shortly.
The second book focuses mainly on Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain as he looks to build a riverboat to explore the great river coming across many different figures and dealing with his own wars, drama, back stabbing, and chess-like matches all while this ship is being built. The interraction between him and his very tall and large giant friend with the large and long nose named Joe had me actually laughing out loud and worth the price of reading. I’m aiming to finish the next three books shortly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2018
The concept of this book was very interesting, it was very poor execution. I didn't like any of the characters and I didn't really care what happened to Burton. You could definitely tell it was an older book, there was lots of sexist views towards women. Burton was very bad at this, he talked about not caring about a woman's brains, just wanted her to be beautiful. Ugh, what a jerk. Every man in the the book had to hurry and find a woman to claim as his. I also didn't like how the most of characters in the book were real people. People that I knew nothing about without looking them up on the internet, not very creative of the author. Toward to end of the book, I just wanted to stop reading about Burton and I didn't care at all about the stupid river or anything about the story. 1 star out of 5.
July 20, 2016
My book club reads through the Hugo List - 1972 winner:
Fascinating premise around reincarnation or resurrection, but fails to deliver in the end. The characters are fairly one-dimensional, and I don't care enough to think through the faulty mechanics of every person ever born ending up on this planet and continually being resurrected in a great river, how food and certain vices are provided each day at various "spawn points", or who the Ethicals (the creators) are.
Perhaps, it gets more interesting later in the series, but I lack the desire to see this thought experiment through.
Fascinating premise around reincarnation or resurrection, but fails to deliver in the end. The characters are fairly one-dimensional, and I don't care enough to think through the faulty mechanics of every person ever born ending up on this planet and continually being resurrected in a great river, how food and certain vices are provided each day at various "spawn points", or who the Ethicals (the creators) are.
Perhaps, it gets more interesting later in the series, but I lack the desire to see this thought experiment through.
June 5, 2018
I couldn’t finish it. Who wants to hear Sam Clemens whine about his sad life for eternity? Not this girl.
March 7, 2021
I had read these when I was a teenager, spun through them again to see how they held up. Not quite the anthropological depth that I recall, some holes in the logic of the world he constructs, and his choice of historical characters feels pretty dated and/or lame, but still a cool premise and a pretty good read.
December 14, 2023
Because this is a two-in-one novel I have to temper my review because To Your Scattered Bodies Go suffers from being dated and doing lots of exposition/worldbuilding that The Fabulous Riverboat doesn't have to. I also found Sam much more relatable than Richard and it also felt like Farmer got his legs under him in the second book, because it was compelling in various ways.
May 1, 2025
(ελληνική κριτική στη συνέχεια)
1. To Your Scattered Bodies Go ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hugo Award-winning To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1971) marks the beginning of Philip José Farmer’s Riverworld series -an ambitious and intellectually rich creation by one of the genre’s most imaginative minds.
So, what unfolds in Riverworld? In an audacious twist of speculative fiction, every human being who has ever died throughout history awakens -young, healthy, and utterly bewildered- on the banks of an apparently endless river coursing through an equally enigmatic planet. And by everyone, we do mean everyone, including a repentant and conspicuously less corpulent Hermann Göring. When the famed explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton (more on him shortly) dies on 20 October 1890, the last thing he anticipates is awakening -stark naked- in a place he cannot recognise, surrounded by several billion others (and not solely humans).
This universal resurrection is accompanied by the presence of indestructible containers assigned to each individual, dispensing three meals a day, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, a lighter, and on occasion a lipstick. But to what end? And by whose design?
Beyond the sheer allure of this conceit -a world in which all of humanity is returned to youth and vitality- Farmer seizes the opportunity to probe profound philosophical, moral, and sociopolitical questions. He casts his characters, foremost among them the real-life figure of Richard Francis Burton (yes, that Burton: Victorian explorer, army officer, scholar, writer, and the first to translate “Arabian Nights”), into a world where the laws of nature — and by extension, social conventions — have been fundamentally reconfigured.
Themes such as the meaning of resurrection, the nature of personal identity, free will, and the machinery of power emerge as central preoccupations. Farmer’s prose is direct and unembellished, yet it carries a deliberate philosophical weight. Burton, as protagonist, is a richly complex and often contradictory figure, whose historical gravitas lends the narrative added depth. The supporting cast -from the aforementioned Göring to fictional figures and even a bewildered Neanderthal who arguably must be suffering suffer from being unable to ask the most pertinent questions- are rendered with varying degrees of complexity, functioning less as psychologically nuanced characters and more as vessels for conceptual exploration.
The narrative moves at a brisk pace, sustaining engagement throughout. Farmer does not shy away from depicting violence or extremity, underlining the chaos and moral ambiguity that reign in Riverworld. Though at times the philosophical discourse may veer toward the didactic, the novel succeeds in maintaining a delicate balance between reflection and action.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go is a daring, imaginative work that offers not merely entertainment, but also meaningful intellectual engagement. While certain aspects may strike today’s reader as dated or stylistically awkward, the originality of its central premise and the weight of its philosophical ambition render it a landmark in speculative fiction. And should you find yourself captivated — unless, of course, you are particularly hard to please — rest assured: there are several high-quality sequels awaiting your eager consumption.
2. The Fabulous Riverboat ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In contrast to the unfortunate trend whereby ambitious literary sagas begin with a flourish only to degenerate into increasingly diluted sequels, The Fabulous Riverboat -the second volume in Philip José Farmer’s Riverworld series- not only sustains the imaginative momentum of its predecessor (To Your Scattered Bodies Go), but in many respects surpasses it. This sequel is not merely a continuation, but a deepening; a bold literary venture that elevates the speculative genre through its philosophical scope and narrative ingenuity.
At the heart of the novel lies the formidable figure of Samuel Clemens, more widely -and indeed, legendarily- known by his nom de plume, Mark Twain. Farmer renders Clemens with a flair that borders on the theatrical: a man of iron will, fervent ambition, and romantic idealism, determined to construct a steam-powered riverboat from the ground up in order to navigate the seemingly endless river that defines this afterlife realm. That this obsession mirrors Clemens’ own lifelong fascination with riverboats imbues the tale with an added layer of poignant authenticity. Yet the journey undertaken here is not merely a physical one; it is at once metaphysical, existential, and deeply, unwaveringly human.
The conception of Riverworld remains one of the most audacious in the annals of speculative fiction: a world where every human being who has ever lived is resurrected -from the most obscure to the most infamous, and all the countless middling souls in between. The collision of ideologies, cultures, and personalities that ensues offers Farmer an inexhaustible canvas upon which to explore the themes of power, freedom, religion, and morality — all within the framework of a narrative that is both exhilaratingly inventive and intellectually rigorous.
Though the pace may, at times, seem «delayed», it is never plodding. The book’s architecture is deliberate and exacting, rich in dialogue, political intrigue, and emotional complexity. Its philosophical underpinnings are formidable. One does not merely read this novel; one is immersed in a world reborn from zero — a world where the only baggage its denizens bring is memory, and where every social construct must be rebuilt from the ashes of prior civilisations. The weight of choice, in such a context, is staggering.
Like its predecessor, The Fabulous Riverboat is a work of rare genius: audacious, resonant, and indelible. Farmer does not merely write science fiction — he engineers cosmologies, propelled by the machinery of the human soul. This is speculative fiction at its apex: intellectually rich, narratively gripping, and mythopoeic in scope.
1. To Your Scattered Bodies Go ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Το βραβευμένο με Hugo «To Your Scattered Bodies Go» (1971) είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς Riverworld του «μάγου» της Ε.Φ., Philip José Farmer (δυστυχώς στα ελληνικά έχουν μεταφραστεί ελάχιστα μυθιστορήματα και διηγήματά του, αλλά αρκούν για να πάρετε μια γεύση και να αναζητήσετε κι άλλα), ένα από τα πιο φιλόδοξα και ενδιαφέροντα έργα επιστημονικής φαντασίας του 20ού αιώνα.
Τι συμβαίνει στη σειρά Riverworld; Όλοι οι άνθρωποι που έχουν πεθάνει ποτέ στην ιστορία της ανθρωπότητας ξαναξυπνούν, νεαροί και υγιείς, σε έναν μυστηριώδη, φαινομενικά ατελείωτο πλανήτη με έναν τεράστιο ποταμό. Όταν λέμε όλοι, εννοούμε ΟΛΟΙ, ακόμη και ο (μετανιωμένος για τα ναζιστικά και χωρίς την τεράστια μπλάθρα) Χέρμαν Γκέρινγκ. Όταν ο διάσημος εξερευνητής σερ Ρίτσαρντ Φράνσις Μπάρτον (βλ. πιο κάτω σχετικά) πεθαίνει στις 20 Οκτωβρίου του 1890, το τελευταίο που περιμένει είναι να ξυπνήσει εντελώς τσιτσίδι σε έναν μέρος που δεν αναγνωρίζει, στις όχθες ενός φαινομενικά ατελείωτου ποταμού. Μαζί με… μερικά δισεκατομμύρια άλλους ανθρώπους (αλλά όχι μόνο).
Όχι μόνο έχει αναστηθεί το άπαν σύμπαν, αλλά ο καθένας καθένας έχει δίπλα του ένα άφθαρτο δοχείο που παρέχει τρία γεύματα την ημέρα, τσιγάρα, αλκοολούχα ποτά, έναν αναπτήρα και, περιστασιακά, ένα κραγιόν. Αλλά γιατί; Και από ποιον;
Πέρα από το γεγονός ότι η κεντρική ιδέα του κόσμου όπου όλοι επιστρέφουν νέοι και υγιείς, είναι εξαιρετικά γοητευτική, ο Farmer βρίσκει την ευκαιρία να εξερευνήσει φιλοσοφικά, ηθικά και κοινωνικά ερωτήματα. Ο συγγραφέας ρίχνει τους χαρακτήρες του, ανάμεσά τους και τον Richard Francis Burton (ναι, είχα τάξει να σας πω γι΄αυτόν: μάλλον δεν τον ξέρετε, αλλά υπήρξε εξερευνητής, βαθμοφόρος του Βρετανικού στρατού, λόγιος και συγγραφέας, επίσης… μετέφρασε τις «χίλιες και μια νύχτες» πρώτος) σε ένα περιβάλλον όπου οι φυσικοί νόμοι έχουν αλλάξει, και μαζί τους οι κοινωνικές συμβάσεις. Η αναζήτηση του νοήματος πίσω από την ανάσταση, η ταυτότητα, η ελευθερία της βούλησης, και η πολιτική εξουσία είναι μερικά από τα θέματα που τίθενται στο επίκεντρο.
Το ύφος του Farmer είναι απλό και άμεσο, αλλά με σαφή φιλοσοφική πρόθεση. Ο Burton ως πρωταγωνιστής είναι περίπλοκος, συχνά αντιφατικός, και φέρνει μαζί του μια ιστορική βαρύτητα που εμπλουτίζει το βιβλίο. Οι υπόλοιποι χαρακτήρες –από τον Hermann Göring που αναφέραμε νωρίτερα, έως επινοημένα πρόσωπα και έναν φουκαρά Νεάντερταλ που μάλλον έχει τις περισσότερες απορίες από οποιονδήποτε άλλον– αποτυπώνονται με ποικίλα επίπεδα βάθους και χρησιμεύουν περισσότερο ως φορείς ιδεών παρά ως ρεαλιστικά πορτραίτα.
Η πλοκή προχωρά με σχετικά ταχύ ρυθμό, διατηρώντας συνεχώς το ενδιαφέρον. Ο Farmer δεν διστάζει να παρουσιάσει βίαιες ή ακραίες σκηνές, τονίζοντας το χάος και την ηθική ρευστότητα του Riverworld. Παρότι σε κάποια σημεία ο φιλοσοφικός διάλογος μπορεί να φαίνεται κάπως διδακτικός, ο συγγραφέας κατορθώνει να διατηρεί την ισορροπία ανάμεσα στη δράση και τον στοχασμό.
Το «To Your Scattered Bodies Go» είναι ένα τολμηρό, ευφάνταστο έργο που προσφέρει όχι μόνο διασκέδαση, αλλά και ουσιαστικό προβληματισμό. Αν και ορισμένα σημεία μπορεί να φανούν κάπως ξεπερασμένα ή αδέξια για το σημερινό αναγνωστικό κοινό, η πρωτοτυπία της ιδέας και η φιλοσοφική της φόρτιση καθιστούν το βιβλίο αυτό ένα από τα κορυφαία παραδείγματα «σπέκιουλατιφ φίκσιο».
Και επειδή μάλλον θα σας αρέσει (δεν ξέρω, μπορεί να είστε και δύσκολοι) υπάρχουν αρκετές συνέχειες εξαιρετικής ποιότητας για να κορέσετε την πείνα σας για Riverworld.
2. The Fabulous Riverboat ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Riverworld, πρώτο σήκουελ και σε αντίθεση με τις περισσότερες σειρές που ξεκινάνε εντυπωσιακά (ή σαν standalone βιβλία που μετά λόγω επιτυχίας ο συγγραφέας τα ξεφτιλίζει μετατρέποντάς σε ατέλειωτες σειρές) το The Fabulous Riverboat όχι μόνο είναι ένα ακόμα λαμπρό δείγμα της τολμηρής φαντασίας και της αφηγηματικής δεινότητας του Philip José Farmer, αλλά και στέκει εξίσου ψηλά (αν όχι ψηλότερα) με το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς. Ως δεύτερο μέρος της επικής σειράς Riverworld, το έργο επεκτείνει τον φανταστικό κόσμο που εισήγαγε ο συγγραφέας στο To Your Scattered Bodies Go, αλλά τον εμβαθύνει με στοχασμό, πολυπλοκότητα και εξαιρετικό λογοτεχνικό σθένος. Μακάρι να έπαιρναν μαθήματα μερικοί σύγχρονοι από το worldbuilding του P.J.F.
Στο επίκεντρο βρίσκεται ο Σαμ Κλήμενς, (ευρύτερα γνωστός -θρυλικός θα έλεγα- με το λογοτεχνικό παρανόμι του «Μαρκ Τουέιν»), ένας από τους πιο γοητευτικούς και πολύπλοκους ήρωες της επιστημονικής φαντασίας. Ο Farmer τον παρουσιάζει με τρόπο σχεδόν θεατρικό, έναν άνθρωπο με πείσμα, όραμα και φιλοδοξία, που παλεύει να κατασκευάσει από το τίποτα ένα ατμοκίνητο ποταμόπλοιο (πάθος του αληθινού Κλήμενς και στη ζωή) και να διασχίσει τον ατέρμονο ποταμό που φιλοξενεί τις ψυχές (και τα φρέσκα σώματα που είδαμε τσίτσιδα στο πρώτο βιβλίο) όλης της ανθρωπότητας. Το ταξίδι του Κλήμενς δεν είναι απλώς «ένα ταξίδι», είναι παράλληλα μεταφυσική/υπαρξιακή εξερεύνηση και βαθύτατα ανθρώπινο.
Η σύλληψη του Riverworld παραμένει μία από τις πιο εντυπωσιακές στη λογοτεχνία του είδους: ένας κόσμος όπου όλοι οι άνθρωποι που έζησαν ποτέ ανασταίνονται -από τους πιο ταπεινούς μέχρι τους πιο διαβόητους και όλο το φάσμα της μετριότητας ανάμεσά τους. Η σύγκρουση ιδεών, πολιτισμών και προσωπικοτήτων που προκύπτει δίνει στον Farmer αστείρευτο υλικό για να εξερευνήσει θέματα εξουσίας, ελευθερίας, θρησκείας και ηθικής, όλα μέσα από συναρπαστική, εφευρετική μυθοπλασία.
Παρά τη φαινομενική αργοπορία στη δράση, η αφηγηματική δομή του βιβλίου είναι προσεκτικά χτισμένη, πλούσια σε διαλόγους και πολιτική ίντριγκα, με έντονη συναισθηματική υποδομή και φιλοσοφική βαρύτητα. Ο αναγνώστης δεν διαβάζει απλώς μια περιπέτεια, αλλά βυθίζεται σε έναν κόσμο ιδεών, όπου ο πολιτισμός ξαναχτίζεται από το μηδέν (εντάξει, ο καθένας έφερε και τις αναμνήσεις του μαζί, αλλά… κανένα εργαλείο και καμία κοινωνική δομή δεν τους περίμενε στο Riverworld) και κάθε επιλογή έχει ιστορικό βάρος.
Το The Fabulous Riverboat (όπως και το προηγηθέν «To your scattered bodies go») είναι ένα έργο μεγαλοφυές, τολμηρό και ανεξίτηλο. Ο Philip José Farmer δεν γράφει απλώς επιστημονική φαντασία∙ χτίζει ολόκληρες κοσμοθεωρίες με όχημα την ανθρώπινη ψυχή. Πρόκειται για ένα αριστούργημα του είδους, που συνδυάζει την περιπέτεια με τη διανόηση και αποδεικνύει πως η επιστημονική φαντασία μπορεί να είναι ταυτόχρονα επική και βαθιά στοχαστική.
1. To Your Scattered Bodies Go ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hugo Award-winning To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1971) marks the beginning of Philip José Farmer’s Riverworld series -an ambitious and intellectually rich creation by one of the genre’s most imaginative minds.
So, what unfolds in Riverworld? In an audacious twist of speculative fiction, every human being who has ever died throughout history awakens -young, healthy, and utterly bewildered- on the banks of an apparently endless river coursing through an equally enigmatic planet. And by everyone, we do mean everyone, including a repentant and conspicuously less corpulent Hermann Göring. When the famed explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton (more on him shortly) dies on 20 October 1890, the last thing he anticipates is awakening -stark naked- in a place he cannot recognise, surrounded by several billion others (and not solely humans).
This universal resurrection is accompanied by the presence of indestructible containers assigned to each individual, dispensing three meals a day, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, a lighter, and on occasion a lipstick. But to what end? And by whose design?
Beyond the sheer allure of this conceit -a world in which all of humanity is returned to youth and vitality- Farmer seizes the opportunity to probe profound philosophical, moral, and sociopolitical questions. He casts his characters, foremost among them the real-life figure of Richard Francis Burton (yes, that Burton: Victorian explorer, army officer, scholar, writer, and the first to translate “Arabian Nights”), into a world where the laws of nature — and by extension, social conventions — have been fundamentally reconfigured.
Themes such as the meaning of resurrection, the nature of personal identity, free will, and the machinery of power emerge as central preoccupations. Farmer’s prose is direct and unembellished, yet it carries a deliberate philosophical weight. Burton, as protagonist, is a richly complex and often contradictory figure, whose historical gravitas lends the narrative added depth. The supporting cast -from the aforementioned Göring to fictional figures and even a bewildered Neanderthal who arguably must be suffering suffer from being unable to ask the most pertinent questions- are rendered with varying degrees of complexity, functioning less as psychologically nuanced characters and more as vessels for conceptual exploration.
The narrative moves at a brisk pace, sustaining engagement throughout. Farmer does not shy away from depicting violence or extremity, underlining the chaos and moral ambiguity that reign in Riverworld. Though at times the philosophical discourse may veer toward the didactic, the novel succeeds in maintaining a delicate balance between reflection and action.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go is a daring, imaginative work that offers not merely entertainment, but also meaningful intellectual engagement. While certain aspects may strike today’s reader as dated or stylistically awkward, the originality of its central premise and the weight of its philosophical ambition render it a landmark in speculative fiction. And should you find yourself captivated — unless, of course, you are particularly hard to please — rest assured: there are several high-quality sequels awaiting your eager consumption.
2. The Fabulous Riverboat ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In contrast to the unfortunate trend whereby ambitious literary sagas begin with a flourish only to degenerate into increasingly diluted sequels, The Fabulous Riverboat -the second volume in Philip José Farmer’s Riverworld series- not only sustains the imaginative momentum of its predecessor (To Your Scattered Bodies Go), but in many respects surpasses it. This sequel is not merely a continuation, but a deepening; a bold literary venture that elevates the speculative genre through its philosophical scope and narrative ingenuity.
At the heart of the novel lies the formidable figure of Samuel Clemens, more widely -and indeed, legendarily- known by his nom de plume, Mark Twain. Farmer renders Clemens with a flair that borders on the theatrical: a man of iron will, fervent ambition, and romantic idealism, determined to construct a steam-powered riverboat from the ground up in order to navigate the seemingly endless river that defines this afterlife realm. That this obsession mirrors Clemens’ own lifelong fascination with riverboats imbues the tale with an added layer of poignant authenticity. Yet the journey undertaken here is not merely a physical one; it is at once metaphysical, existential, and deeply, unwaveringly human.
The conception of Riverworld remains one of the most audacious in the annals of speculative fiction: a world where every human being who has ever lived is resurrected -from the most obscure to the most infamous, and all the countless middling souls in between. The collision of ideologies, cultures, and personalities that ensues offers Farmer an inexhaustible canvas upon which to explore the themes of power, freedom, religion, and morality — all within the framework of a narrative that is both exhilaratingly inventive and intellectually rigorous.
Though the pace may, at times, seem «delayed», it is never plodding. The book’s architecture is deliberate and exacting, rich in dialogue, political intrigue, and emotional complexity. Its philosophical underpinnings are formidable. One does not merely read this novel; one is immersed in a world reborn from zero — a world where the only baggage its denizens bring is memory, and where every social construct must be rebuilt from the ashes of prior civilisations. The weight of choice, in such a context, is staggering.
Like its predecessor, The Fabulous Riverboat is a work of rare genius: audacious, resonant, and indelible. Farmer does not merely write science fiction — he engineers cosmologies, propelled by the machinery of the human soul. This is speculative fiction at its apex: intellectually rich, narratively gripping, and mythopoeic in scope.
1. To Your Scattered Bodies Go ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Το βραβευμένο με Hugo «To Your Scattered Bodies Go» (1971) είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς Riverworld του «μάγου» της Ε.Φ., Philip José Farmer (δυστυχώς στα ελληνικά έχουν μεταφραστεί ελάχιστα μυθιστορήματα και διηγήματά του, αλλά αρκούν για να πάρετε μια γεύση και να αναζητήσετε κι άλλα), ένα από τα πιο φιλόδοξα και ενδιαφέροντα έργα επιστημονικής φαντασίας του 20ού αιώνα.
Τι συμβαίνει στη σειρά Riverworld; Όλοι οι άνθρωποι που έχουν πεθάνει ποτέ στην ιστορία της ανθρωπότητας ξαναξυπνούν, νεαροί και υγιείς, σε έναν μυστηριώδη, φαινομενικά ατελείωτο πλανήτη με έναν τεράστιο ποταμό. Όταν λέμε όλοι, εννοούμε ΟΛΟΙ, ακόμη και ο (μετανιωμένος για τα ναζιστικά και χωρίς την τεράστια μπλάθρα) Χέρμαν Γκέρινγκ. Όταν ο διάσημος εξερευνητής σερ Ρίτσαρντ Φράνσις Μπάρτον (βλ. πιο κάτω σχετικά) πεθαίνει στις 20 Οκτωβρίου του 1890, το τελευταίο που περιμένει είναι να ξυπνήσει εντελώς τσιτσίδι σε έναν μέρος που δεν αναγνωρίζει, στις όχθες ενός φαινομενικά ατελείωτου ποταμού. Μαζί με… μερικά δισεκατομμύρια άλλους ανθρώπους (αλλά όχι μόνο).
Όχι μόνο έχει αναστηθεί το άπαν σύμπαν, αλλά ο καθένας καθένας έχει δίπλα του ένα άφθαρτο δοχείο που παρέχει τρία γεύματα την ημέρα, τσιγάρα, αλκοολούχα ποτά, έναν αναπτήρα και, περιστασιακά, ένα κραγιόν. Αλλά γιατί; Και από ποιον;
Πέρα από το γεγονός ότι η κεντρική ιδέα του κόσμου όπου όλοι επιστρέφουν νέοι και υγιείς, είναι εξαιρετικά γοητευτική, ο Farmer βρίσκει την ευκαιρία να εξερευνήσει φιλοσοφικά, ηθικά και κοινωνικά ερωτήματα. Ο συγγραφέας ρίχνει τους χαρακτήρες του, ανάμεσά τους και τον Richard Francis Burton (ναι, είχα τάξει να σας πω γι΄αυτόν: μάλλον δεν τον ξέρετε, αλλά υπήρξε εξερευνητής, βαθμοφόρος του Βρετανικού στρατού, λόγιος και συγγραφέας, επίσης… μετέφρασε τις «χίλιες και μια νύχτες» πρώτος) σε ένα περιβάλλον όπου οι φυσικοί νόμοι έχουν αλλάξει, και μαζί τους οι κοινωνικές συμβάσεις. Η αναζήτηση του νοήματος πίσω από την ανάσταση, η ταυτότητα, η ελευθερία της βούλησης, και η πολιτική εξουσία είναι μερικά από τα θέματα που τίθενται στο επίκεντρο.
Το ύφος του Farmer είναι απλό και άμεσο, αλλά με σαφή φιλοσοφική πρόθεση. Ο Burton ως πρωταγωνιστής είναι περίπλοκος, συχνά αντιφατικός, και φέρνει μαζί του μια ιστορική βαρύτητα που εμπλουτίζει το βιβλίο. Οι υπόλοιποι χαρακτήρες –από τον Hermann Göring που αναφέραμε νωρίτερα, έως επινοημένα πρόσωπα και έναν φουκαρά Νεάντερταλ που μάλλον έχει τις περισσότερες απορίες από οποιονδήποτε άλλον– αποτυπώνονται με ποικίλα επίπεδα βάθους και χρησιμεύουν περισσότερο ως φορείς ιδεών παρά ως ρεαλιστικά πορτραίτα.
Η πλοκή προχωρά με σχετικά ταχύ ρυθμό, διατηρώντας συνεχώς το ενδιαφέρον. Ο Farmer δεν διστάζει να παρουσιάσει βίαιες ή ακραίες σκηνές, τονίζοντας το χάος και την ηθική ρευστότητα του Riverworld. Παρότι σε κάποια σημεία ο φιλοσοφικός διάλογος μπορεί να φαίνεται κάπως διδακτικός, ο συγγραφέας κατορθώνει να διατηρεί την ισορροπία ανάμεσα στη δράση και τον στοχασμό.
Το «To Your Scattered Bodies Go» είναι ένα τολμηρό, ευφάνταστο έργο που προσφέρει όχι μόνο διασκέδαση, αλλά και ουσιαστικό προβληματισμό. Αν και ορισμένα σημεία μπορεί να φανούν κάπως ξεπερασμένα ή αδέξια για το σημερινό αναγνωστικό κοινό, η πρωτοτυπία της ιδέας και η φιλοσοφική της φόρτιση καθιστούν το βιβλίο αυτό ένα από τα κορυφαία παραδείγματα «σπέκιουλατιφ φίκσιο».
Και επειδή μάλλον θα σας αρέσει (δεν ξέρω, μπορεί να είστε και δύσκολοι) υπάρχουν αρκετές συνέχειες εξαιρετικής ποιότητας για να κορέσετε την πείνα σας για Riverworld.
2. The Fabulous Riverboat ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Riverworld, πρώτο σήκουελ και σε αντίθεση με τις περισσότερες σειρές που ξεκινάνε εντυπωσιακά (ή σαν standalone βιβλία που μετά λόγω επιτυχίας ο συγγραφέας τα ξεφτιλίζει μετατρέποντάς σε ατέλειωτες σειρές) το The Fabulous Riverboat όχι μόνο είναι ένα ακόμα λαμπρό δείγμα της τολμηρής φαντασίας και της αφηγηματικής δεινότητας του Philip José Farmer, αλλά και στέκει εξίσου ψηλά (αν όχι ψηλότερα) με το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς. Ως δεύτερο μέρος της επικής σειράς Riverworld, το έργο επεκτείνει τον φανταστικό κόσμο που εισήγαγε ο συγγραφέας στο To Your Scattered Bodies Go, αλλά τον εμβαθύνει με στοχασμό, πολυπλοκότητα και εξαιρετικό λογοτεχνικό σθένος. Μακάρι να έπαιρναν μαθήματα μερικοί σύγχρονοι από το worldbuilding του P.J.F.
Στο επίκεντρο βρίσκεται ο Σαμ Κλήμενς, (ευρύτερα γνωστός -θρυλικός θα έλεγα- με το λογοτεχνικό παρανόμι του «Μαρκ Τουέιν»), ένας από τους πιο γοητευτικούς και πολύπλοκους ήρωες της επιστημονικής φαντασίας. Ο Farmer τον παρουσιάζει με τρόπο σχεδόν θεατρικό, έναν άνθρωπο με πείσμα, όραμα και φιλοδοξία, που παλεύει να κατασκευάσει από το τίποτα ένα ατμοκίνητο ποταμόπλοιο (πάθος του αληθινού Κλήμενς και στη ζωή) και να διασχίσει τον ατέρμονο ποταμό που φιλοξενεί τις ψυχές (και τα φρέσκα σώματα που είδαμε τσίτσιδα στο πρώτο βιβλίο) όλης της ανθρωπότητας. Το ταξίδι του Κλήμενς δεν είναι απλώς «ένα ταξίδι», είναι παράλληλα μεταφυσική/υπαρξιακή εξερεύνηση και βαθύτατα ανθρώπινο.
Η σύλληψη του Riverworld παραμένει μία από τις πιο εντυπωσιακές στη λογοτεχνία του είδους: ένας κόσμος όπου όλοι οι άνθρωποι που έζησαν ποτέ ανασταίνονται -από τους πιο ταπεινούς μέχρι τους πιο διαβόητους και όλο το φάσμα της μετριότητας ανάμεσά τους. Η σύγκρουση ιδεών, πολιτισμών και προσωπικοτήτων που προκύπτει δίνει στον Farmer αστείρευτο υλικό για να εξερευνήσει θέματα εξουσίας, ελευθερίας, θρησκείας και ηθικής, όλα μέσα από συναρπαστική, εφευρετική μυθοπλασία.
Παρά τη φαινομενική αργοπορία στη δράση, η αφηγηματική δομή του βιβλίου είναι προσεκτικά χτισμένη, πλούσια σε διαλόγους και πολιτική ίντριγκα, με έντονη συναισθηματική υποδομή και φιλοσοφική βαρύτητα. Ο αναγνώστης δεν διαβάζει απλώς μια περιπέτεια, αλλά βυθίζεται σε έναν κόσμο ιδεών, όπου ο πολιτισμός ξαναχτίζεται από το μηδέν (εντάξει, ο καθένας έφερε και τις αναμνήσεις του μαζί, αλλά… κανένα εργαλείο και καμία κοινωνική δομή δεν τους περίμενε στο Riverworld) και κάθε επιλογή έχει ιστορικό βάρος.
Το The Fabulous Riverboat (όπως και το προηγηθέν «To your scattered bodies go») είναι ένα έργο μεγαλοφυές, τολμηρό και ανεξίτηλο. Ο Philip José Farmer δεν γράφει απλώς επιστημονική φαντασία∙ χτίζει ολόκληρες κοσμοθεωρίες με όχημα την ανθρώπινη ψυχή. Πρόκειται για ένα αριστούργημα του είδους, που συνδυάζει την περιπέτεια με τη διανόηση και αποδεικνύει πως η επιστημονική φαντασία μπορεί να είναι ταυτόχρονα επική και βαθιά στοχαστική.
March 4, 2011
This is the most amazing book.
It has been YEARS since I read Sci-Fi - "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" is simply awesome. Burton was a good action hero - and the plot moved along making the world unfold and the mysteries maddening.
However, I was not impressed with "The Fabulous Riverboat" for a lot of reasons.
1) The plot didn't 'move' along. I kept wondering when something was going to happen. As a writer I've heard of 'sagging middles' this was a good example.
2) Sam Clemens didn't act his age - niether his mental age or his physical age. He came across as more of a weasle than King John - not like someone witty enough to have written all that satire.
3) I got the feeling that Joe Miller was gay - or that Farmer gave Miller the personality of Sam Clemens. It wasn't the lisp (I hated having to de-code his dialog) as much as the words he used - it sounded like he had eaten a theasaurus.
I'm very disappointed and will not buy the rest of the series. I am glad that the first book was worth the $10 I paid for both books. This was originally 5-stars, but I'm knocking it down to 2-stars.
It has been YEARS since I read Sci-Fi - "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" is simply awesome. Burton was a good action hero - and the plot moved along making the world unfold and the mysteries maddening.
However, I was not impressed with "The Fabulous Riverboat" for a lot of reasons.
1) The plot didn't 'move' along. I kept wondering when something was going to happen. As a writer I've heard of 'sagging middles' this was a good example.
2) Sam Clemens didn't act his age - niether his mental age or his physical age. He came across as more of a weasle than King John - not like someone witty enough to have written all that satire.
3) I got the feeling that Joe Miller was gay - or that Farmer gave Miller the personality of Sam Clemens. It wasn't the lisp (I hated having to de-code his dialog) as much as the words he used - it sounded like he had eaten a theasaurus.
I'm very disappointed and will not buy the rest of the series. I am glad that the first book was worth the $10 I paid for both books. This was originally 5-stars, but I'm knocking it down to 2-stars.
August 7, 2023
I will say that this is the first two books in the series River World.
The first book "To Your Scattetrd Bodies Go" sets up the interesting universe that I personally find similar to a dream world I'd like to visit. It is sometimes wonderful and yet most of the time full of plight.
The second book "The Fabulous Riverboat" is, to me, stressful and monotonous. At times I found the story boring and forced myself to read through it for the occasional pertinent story plots.
Overall I truly enjoy the story and the gorgeous landscapes, rich characters and wonderful concepts I've never come across in a work of fiction.
I would still suggest this book as a required reading for science fiction fantasy enthusiasts. Mostly because of the story is so unique, just as Asimov's concepts of robots.
As it turns out; I'm happy to have wrestled through these difficult to read books, I look forward to continue on with the series.
P.S. If you decide to watch the TV version of this story, remember that is merely based on these books. That rendition of the River World universe used artistic licenses that nullify a lot of concepts of the original story.
The first book "To Your Scattetrd Bodies Go" sets up the interesting universe that I personally find similar to a dream world I'd like to visit. It is sometimes wonderful and yet most of the time full of plight.
The second book "The Fabulous Riverboat" is, to me, stressful and monotonous. At times I found the story boring and forced myself to read through it for the occasional pertinent story plots.
Overall I truly enjoy the story and the gorgeous landscapes, rich characters and wonderful concepts I've never come across in a work of fiction.
I would still suggest this book as a required reading for science fiction fantasy enthusiasts. Mostly because of the story is so unique, just as Asimov's concepts of robots.
As it turns out; I'm happy to have wrestled through these difficult to read books, I look forward to continue on with the series.
P.S. If you decide to watch the TV version of this story, remember that is merely based on these books. That rendition of the River World universe used artistic licenses that nullify a lot of concepts of the original story.
October 11, 2014
Great sci-fi in the classic tradition of the golden age . . .
I first learned of Riverworld through a television adaptation that tried to capture the spirit without staying true to the letter of the book . . . I'm of the camp that alwaysnthinks the book is better than the movie, but in this case, the book is SOOOOOO much better than the made-for-TV movie . . . I like that in the classical tradition of the best golden age sci-fi, this book asks you to believe only one truly impossible thing - the resurrection of the entire human race from 2,000,000 B.C.E. to 2008 C.E., all at once in a far future, presumably on another planet. Everything else stems from the science of this. The book considers well all the ramifications, social and otherwise, of its premise, exploring what its premise would mean for the human race. I look forward to reading the next volume . . .
I first learned of Riverworld through a television adaptation that tried to capture the spirit without staying true to the letter of the book . . . I'm of the camp that alwaysnthinks the book is better than the movie, but in this case, the book is SOOOOOO much better than the made-for-TV movie . . . I like that in the classical tradition of the best golden age sci-fi, this book asks you to believe only one truly impossible thing - the resurrection of the entire human race from 2,000,000 B.C.E. to 2008 C.E., all at once in a far future, presumably on another planet. Everything else stems from the science of this. The book considers well all the ramifications, social and otherwise, of its premise, exploring what its premise would mean for the human race. I look forward to reading the next volume . . .
September 14, 2012
I read these in high school so I can't be too confident about my rating...
November 13, 2012
I read this book back in high school and wanted to revisit it. What a fun book! Philip José Farmer is truly underrated. Though written in the 70's this sci-fi book does not read as dated.
February 14, 2020
This review is specifically for the combo containing the first and second books in the Riverworld series. Thus, the number of stars is an average between the two. The first book gets 4 stars. It presents a fascinating premise and builds a half-way credible world around it. The book gets a little lost in the details of certain characters, but overall pretty readable.
The second book gets 2 stars. It picks up with an entirely different character, even though the arc of the main character in the first book isn't really complete. It carries the arc about Riverworld forward a little for about the first quarter of the book, then gets lost in political intrigue and industrial processes. As a rule, I always finish books that I start, but this one was difficult to get through. I kept expecting that any chapter now the real story would pick up again, but it never did. The new protagonist ends up nearly where he starts, then a short epilogue promises that the third book will really do the things hinted at the start of the second. I felt betrayed. Chekhov's gun was still on the table, unfired.
There is a distinction between liking the ideas in a book and it being well-written. These books bring up some significant philosophical issues, and I dislike some of the author's apparent positions. However, the writing itself is average in quality, not particularly brilliant and not particularly bad. My star ratings are hopefully an honest assessment of the story, apart from the philosophy.
In Riverworld, the wind and the river flow the same direction. The river zigzags across the planet, starting and ending at the north pole. Somehow, the wind zigzags as well. Despite how absurd all that sounds, the really strange thing is that the main characters always try to go upriver--by sailing against the wind. Either this is a brilliant metaphor for something, or they're just plain stupid. Or perhaps they know that upriver is the shorter path to the north pole. I would sail downriver. Going several times the speed, with much simpler equipment, could make up for the difference.
The explanation for the resurrection system is a bit convoluted. A body gets constructed using unspecified metaphysical technology, then its pattern is copied (why?), the body destroyed, then constructed again. Somehow this system is automatic, so every time someone dies in Riverworld, he/she is recreated somewhere else. And in spite of all this astounding technology, the keepers of Riverwold (the "Ethicals") can't simply look someone up, like we might do today with the Internet. Hmm.
The oddest thing about Riverworld is how people immediately fall into evil patterns. For example, slavery. Why in the world would you need slavery when everyone would have enough without bothering anyone else? This is a rather dire view of human nature, comparable to Lord of the Flies. There is some truth to it, but it is also the case that a lot of our hierarchical behavior is driven by resource stress and the agricultural/industrial civilization we have constructed in response. I'd expect that most people, given the circumstances described, would tend to reject would-be dictators. And without their props, such dictators would have little more than force-of-personality to control others.
The second book gets 2 stars. It picks up with an entirely different character, even though the arc of the main character in the first book isn't really complete. It carries the arc about Riverworld forward a little for about the first quarter of the book, then gets lost in political intrigue and industrial processes. As a rule, I always finish books that I start, but this one was difficult to get through. I kept expecting that any chapter now the real story would pick up again, but it never did. The new protagonist ends up nearly where he starts, then a short epilogue promises that the third book will really do the things hinted at the start of the second. I felt betrayed. Chekhov's gun was still on the table, unfired.
There is a distinction between liking the ideas in a book and it being well-written. These books bring up some significant philosophical issues, and I dislike some of the author's apparent positions. However, the writing itself is average in quality, not particularly brilliant and not particularly bad. My star ratings are hopefully an honest assessment of the story, apart from the philosophy.
In Riverworld, the wind and the river flow the same direction. The river zigzags across the planet, starting and ending at the north pole. Somehow, the wind zigzags as well. Despite how absurd all that sounds, the really strange thing is that the main characters always try to go upriver--by sailing against the wind. Either this is a brilliant metaphor for something, or they're just plain stupid. Or perhaps they know that upriver is the shorter path to the north pole. I would sail downriver. Going several times the speed, with much simpler equipment, could make up for the difference.
The explanation for the resurrection system is a bit convoluted. A body gets constructed using unspecified metaphysical technology, then its pattern is copied (why?), the body destroyed, then constructed again. Somehow this system is automatic, so every time someone dies in Riverworld, he/she is recreated somewhere else. And in spite of all this astounding technology, the keepers of Riverwold (the "Ethicals") can't simply look someone up, like we might do today with the Internet. Hmm.
The oddest thing about Riverworld is how people immediately fall into evil patterns. For example, slavery. Why in the world would you need slavery when everyone would have enough without bothering anyone else? This is a rather dire view of human nature, comparable to Lord of the Flies. There is some truth to it, but it is also the case that a lot of our hierarchical behavior is driven by resource stress and the agricultural/industrial civilization we have constructed in response. I'd expect that most people, given the circumstances described, would tend to reject would-be dictators. And without their props, such dictators would have little more than force-of-personality to control others.
April 24, 2024
This book is actually two novels in one. They are To Your Scattered Bodies Go and The Fabulous Riverboat. They are both good enjoyable novels but the first one was a lot stronger in my view. The first book introduced the world and had a plot that went somewhere with at least some answers at the end. The second novel was entertaining but conceptually it wasn't as interesting as the first book and the plot stayed in a sort of cul-de-sac after a certain point that it never really got out of except at the very end. Also, the main conflict of The Fabulous Riverboat just didn't inspire me nearly as much as the conflict that Burton had in the first book about discovering the true nature of this new Riverworld. In some significant ways it struck me as silly and I couldn't get fully invested in it. I think Farmer writes action very well and give him praise for that. He gets good praise from me in regards to worldbuilding and story when it comes to the first novel. Overall a good read but I won't be continuing with the series.
June 2, 2019
I wish I had some dreamgum to make me forget. It was too racist, rapey and fascistic, even for it's time. Boys-own adventure as a perfect accompaniment to go with a marijuana cigarette and some delicious liqueur whilst you disembowel the natives. And in the middle of what could have been a unique take on the human condition, we get steamboat willie. Righto, off to choose a woman for the night,, pass me that brandy good chap.
Half a star for the lispy giant dude. I refused to read his bits and this made the whole thing a bit quicker. Battle starts, hero gets blown up, lispy giant picks him up, kills 20 to 80 men per minute, good (sic) guys win, hoorah! And half a star for the second chancers, even if Goerring was a cack handed attempt at nazi sympathy. They reminded me of the guilty remnant in the leftovers. Or at least I edited Patsy in to the story to pass the time. She would have cleaned them all up no probs.
Half a star for the lispy giant dude. I refused to read his bits and this made the whole thing a bit quicker. Battle starts, hero gets blown up, lispy giant picks him up, kills 20 to 80 men per minute, good (sic) guys win, hoorah! And half a star for the second chancers, even if Goerring was a cack handed attempt at nazi sympathy. They reminded me of the guilty remnant in the leftovers. Or at least I edited Patsy in to the story to pass the time. She would have cleaned them all up no probs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2019
I was aware of this series for decades, and although Sci-fi/fantasy that involves historical figures is one of my favorite genres, I had somehow avoided reading it. I found the books among some paperbacks that I was cleaning out of a cabin and thought this will be just the thing for a rainy day, and it was. I read the first two books and enjoyed them enough to read them practically straight through. I wanted to love them but they somehow never engaged me past a tepid "like". I'm missing book three from the series and will probably track it down and finish the series but it will not become my life mission.
June 7, 2024
What an incredible premise, what an expansive idea, what an amazing thought experiment. If only it hadn't been written by someone who clearly thinks that the average proto-human has more brains and agency than the average woman. I don't think I've ever been more disappointed by an award-winning book, in the sense that this could have been utterly incredible, but the author managed, instead, to put on a gigantic show of all his worst impulses and prejudices. Such a shame that something that holds such an amazing amount of potential is attached to someone with such a ridiculously distorted worldview.
October 18, 2018
I wanted to read Riverworld based on the recommendation of a friend and ended up downloading a version on my Kindle that had both it and the second book in the series - The Fabulous Riverboat. Interesting approach in that both novels (and I believe the entire series) features well-known historical figures and touches on some key themes of the era when then books were published (early 1970's) but doesn't always hold together and appears dated given our current norms. If you're curious I'd recommend buying a used paperback of Riverworld and seeing if you want to move forward.
September 29, 2024
To Your Scattered Bodies Go - An incredibly inventive and original premise, which sees the entirety of humanity resurrected along the banks of a river in an afterlife that appears to have been created and is controlled by mysterious beings - The Ethicals. The real-life historical figure of Sir Richard Burton, the intrepid explorer, is driven by his curiosity and commits to travelling the entire river to its source to answer his questions about the purpose of the resurrections, committing suicide 777 times and being brought back to life each time.
March 18, 2013
As this is a combination of two books, I've decided to simply post both reviews back to back.
I've given this the score of 4/5 as The first book was weaker, the second book definitely made up for it, and redeemed itself.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go 3/5
When reading Riverworld, I believe I can some up the book using a idea. "Fascinating idea, horrible execution" Is the book worth reading though? Well as a fast read, I can definitely say it's worth reading as the first half of the book is very interesting.
What the book does right is the base idea of the book. Sir Richard Francis Burton starts at the beginning of the book dying in bed with his wife. He wakes up naked with no hair on the bank of a river along with hundreds if not thousands of people. There world contains around 36 billion people, essentially everyone who ever existed, from the most famous person to just random people.
They are able to get food from a stone called by them the Grailstone, and with tubes that they have attached to them called Grails and then the story progresses from that point on, with him meeting a number of colorful characters (as well as a few despicable ones) and him exploring the world and the River (which apparently goes for Millions of miles, containing seemingly random groupings of people).
The problem with the book though is a few fold. But the core of the problem could be seen when comparing the book to Ringworld, one of my favorite books, and one of the perfect books for world buildings. At the end of Ringworld, the reader and main character of the book only knows how interesting and unique Ringworld but doesn't know much about the creators of the world.
That being said Riverworld is also as interesting and unique at the beginning of the story, but sadly it feels the need to try to explain itself. There's a unknown group called the Ethicals. And while this could have made a compelling story of "who are the Ethicals" The book is compelled to make the story about them, rather than focus on the unique situation Burton finds himself in, and the people he meets.
This might be understandable if the book was intended as a single entity, but it clearly ends on a note where there is a mandatory sequel. What's worse is that three different explanations are made and none of them are satisfying, in fact all of them are contradictory. It feels if the author felt a need to explain but at the same time didn't want to make it clear which explanation is correct. The problem is this means all the attempts at explanations are wasted.
There's also a bit of an issue with near the end of the book. Though it's a bit of spoiler so I'll hide the exact explanation
(view spoiler)
So what we end up with is a fantastic world that is extremely interesting, but a story that is entirely flawed through what it tries to do, and sadly that's flawed in my mind. I will say the book is great if you are interested in unique concepts.. But it isn't a compete experience sadly.
The Fabulous River Boat 4/5
I started this book after reading some reviews on Goodreads. It's a sequel to "To Their Scattered Bodies Go". While it wasn't on my "Top 100 sci fi books" I had bought the double pack and I felt like I should get my money's worth.
I'm quite glad that I did. While "To Their Scattered Bodies Go" is a good book, "The Fabulous Riverboat" makes me much more hopeful about the book.
The book starts with Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, riding down the river on a quest from the "Mysterious Stranger". He sees Sir Richard Burton from the first book, on the bank and then an Asteroid hits up the river destroying the area.
From that point on the first book is essentially forgotten. The world is the same and that all sticks, but Burton, Alice, and almost every character is removed. The only character to be in both books is a minor annoyance in the sequel.
What also isn't in "The Fabulous Riverboat" is the need of the author to explain everything about the world. This actually makes me quite happier. In fact almost nothing is explained in the book, and many new questions are added. One of the chosen people claim the Mysterious stranger was a woman, when every other has seen a man. Questions like this are brought up to linger, and in fact it actually works with the book.
Adding a cliffhanger halfway through the book is more effective than a red herring, and had me guessing about the ending for most of the book. The fact these questions weren't completely answered actually helps the book in my opinion because the compulsive need to explain himself detracted from the first book.
While I could go into discussing the story, there doesn't need to be too much additional information. I can say the overall level of famous people have risen remarkably and a few interesting groups appear. Samuel Clemens is clearly at the forefront along with King John of England, to play a major role as well. The book is told completely from Samuel's point, which makes it quite interesting as you get his personal take of many major events. And many of the characters are quite enjoyable.
My opinion of this book is that if you've read "To Your Scattered Bodies Go", you owe it to yourself to read this, as it's a far better book, while it might have less adventure, it has a better flow, and I can see the author's skill has greatly improved in this book.
I've given this the score of 4/5 as The first book was weaker, the second book definitely made up for it, and redeemed itself.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go 3/5
When reading Riverworld, I believe I can some up the book using a idea. "Fascinating idea, horrible execution" Is the book worth reading though? Well as a fast read, I can definitely say it's worth reading as the first half of the book is very interesting.
What the book does right is the base idea of the book. Sir Richard Francis Burton starts at the beginning of the book dying in bed with his wife. He wakes up naked with no hair on the bank of a river along with hundreds if not thousands of people. There world contains around 36 billion people, essentially everyone who ever existed, from the most famous person to just random people.
They are able to get food from a stone called by them the Grailstone, and with tubes that they have attached to them called Grails and then the story progresses from that point on, with him meeting a number of colorful characters (as well as a few despicable ones) and him exploring the world and the River (which apparently goes for Millions of miles, containing seemingly random groupings of people).
The problem with the book though is a few fold. But the core of the problem could be seen when comparing the book to Ringworld, one of my favorite books, and one of the perfect books for world buildings. At the end of Ringworld, the reader and main character of the book only knows how interesting and unique Ringworld but doesn't know much about the creators of the world.
That being said Riverworld is also as interesting and unique at the beginning of the story, but sadly it feels the need to try to explain itself. There's a unknown group called the Ethicals. And while this could have made a compelling story of "who are the Ethicals" The book is compelled to make the story about them, rather than focus on the unique situation Burton finds himself in, and the people he meets.
This might be understandable if the book was intended as a single entity, but it clearly ends on a note where there is a mandatory sequel. What's worse is that three different explanations are made and none of them are satisfying, in fact all of them are contradictory. It feels if the author felt a need to explain but at the same time didn't want to make it clear which explanation is correct. The problem is this means all the attempts at explanations are wasted.
There's also a bit of an issue with near the end of the book. Though it's a bit of spoiler so I'll hide the exact explanation
(view spoiler)
So what we end up with is a fantastic world that is extremely interesting, but a story that is entirely flawed through what it tries to do, and sadly that's flawed in my mind. I will say the book is great if you are interested in unique concepts.. But it isn't a compete experience sadly.
The Fabulous River Boat 4/5
I started this book after reading some reviews on Goodreads. It's a sequel to "To Their Scattered Bodies Go". While it wasn't on my "Top 100 sci fi books" I had bought the double pack and I felt like I should get my money's worth.
I'm quite glad that I did. While "To Their Scattered Bodies Go" is a good book, "The Fabulous Riverboat" makes me much more hopeful about the book.
The book starts with Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, riding down the river on a quest from the "Mysterious Stranger". He sees Sir Richard Burton from the first book, on the bank and then an Asteroid hits up the river destroying the area.
From that point on the first book is essentially forgotten. The world is the same and that all sticks, but Burton, Alice, and almost every character is removed. The only character to be in both books is a minor annoyance in the sequel.
What also isn't in "The Fabulous Riverboat" is the need of the author to explain everything about the world. This actually makes me quite happier. In fact almost nothing is explained in the book, and many new questions are added. One of the chosen people claim the Mysterious stranger was a woman, when every other has seen a man. Questions like this are brought up to linger, and in fact it actually works with the book.
Adding a cliffhanger halfway through the book is more effective than a red herring, and had me guessing about the ending for most of the book. The fact these questions weren't completely answered actually helps the book in my opinion because the compulsive need to explain himself detracted from the first book.
While I could go into discussing the story, there doesn't need to be too much additional information. I can say the overall level of famous people have risen remarkably and a few interesting groups appear. Samuel Clemens is clearly at the forefront along with King John of England, to play a major role as well. The book is told completely from Samuel's point, which makes it quite interesting as you get his personal take of many major events. And many of the characters are quite enjoyable.
My opinion of this book is that if you've read "To Your Scattered Bodies Go", you owe it to yourself to read this, as it's a far better book, while it might have less adventure, it has a better flow, and I can see the author's skill has greatly improved in this book.
June 19, 2017
Farmer's concept is brilliant for Riverworld and a powerful creative version of the ‘afterlife’. I had so much hope for the series. The first two books just get bogged down in irrelevant side stories. I kept thinking that the quality of writing will get elevated into more ethereal concepts and plot development……but it never happened. Hats for innovative science fiction thinking but thumbs down for poor literary value.
June 16, 2018
Loved "To Your Scattered Bodies Go," but got seriously bogged down in "The Fabulous Riverboat." It took me months to finish because I lost all enthusiasm for the story. Interesting concept for setting and characters, with a good mystery to boot, but I'll probably never read the rest of the series. So, 4 stars for the first story and 2 stars for the second, for an average of 3 stars.
September 2, 2024
Interesting idea, but really, really offensive to women. I have read other authors from the time period with a slight misogynist bent and enjoyed the story, but in this case I could only choke down about half the book, then deleted it from my library and want nothing to do with this author ever again.
March 12, 2019
It's a novel concept along the lines of the matrix (not spoiling anything with that comment), with good page-turning writing, great character and priority development, but I am starting to tire and I hope the third book takes a different angle.
March 16, 2019
Great Book
Philip Jose Farmer captured my imagination many years ago with the River World Series. Reading these two episodes was like having a good visit with an old friend. I hope to read the others as there is much I have forgotten throughout the years.
Philip Jose Farmer captured my imagination many years ago with the River World Series. Reading these two episodes was like having a good visit with an old friend. I hope to read the others as there is much I have forgotten throughout the years.
June 22, 2020
A Burgerless World
Great stories...but why is everyone on Riverworld famous? The odd characters aside, everybody is a historical figure. Deep as a shower and a good read for any high school student in up.
And no Grail Burgers!
Great stories...but why is everyone on Riverworld famous? The odd characters aside, everybody is a historical figure. Deep as a shower and a good read for any high school student in up.
And no Grail Burgers!
September 11, 2024
People are people after all
Credit where credit is due, the author has made these people so realistic. Some of them I want to strangle. I was surprised plenty of times with some of the twists. Definitely worth a read, in my humble opinion
Credit where credit is due, the author has made these people so realistic. Some of them I want to strangle. I was surprised plenty of times with some of the twists. Definitely worth a read, in my humble opinion
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